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When is Dune: Prophecy set? Timeline explained
It's time to return to the world of Dune.
HBO
- Louise Griffin
Published: Monday, 18 November 2024 at 8:00 am
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Thousands of years before Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) set foot on Arrakis, the Bene Gesserit was established, with Dune: Prophecy now detailing that saga.
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Based on the novel Sisterhood of Dune, written by Brian Herbert (Frank Herbert's son) and Kevin J Anderson, the HBO series follows the Harkonnen sisters Valya (Emily Watson) and Tula (Olivia Williams) as they face an "existential threat" to the Sisterhood.
The series is set in the same world as Denis Villeneuve's films, with Keiran Atreides actor Chris Mason revealing his characterisation involved a "nod" to Chalamet's Paul. But it's still very far removed from the films in many ways.
Here's everything you need to know about when Dune: Prophecy is set.
When is Dune: Prophecy set?
Dune: Prophecy is set around 10,000 years before the events of Dune.
In the Dune novels, time is measured in years before and after the formation of the spacing guild – so Before Guild (BG) and After Guild (AG). In the Dune novels, the story begins in the year 10,191 AG - so for Dune: Prophecy, we're looking at 10,000-ish years before this.
The series goes backwards and forwards in time, as it revisits Valya and Tula's younger years. So we're expecting it to detail the years broadly between 10 BG and 25 AG. The series is also set in the Corrino Empire, which was in place from 88 BG to 10,193 AG.
Emily Watson as Valya Harkonnen and Olivia Williams as Tula Harkonnen in Dune: Prophecy. HBO
So, in terms of events that contextualise Dune: Prophecy in the Dune novels, the timeline looks a little like this:
- 201 BG to 108 BG: The Butlerian Jihad, AKA the Great Revolt (the crusade against computers and thinking machines)
- 26 BG: Birth of Valya Harkonnen
- 10 BG: Valya Harkonnen is recruited to the Sisterhood of Rossak (later known as the Bene Gesserit)
- 4 BG: Valya Harkonnen becomes the third Reverend Mother
- 10,175 AG: Birth of Paul Atreides
Where is Dune: Prophecy set?
Dune: Prophecy is set in the same universe as Denis Villeneuve's films. It's primarily set on Salusa Secundus, the current Imperial set of power, and on Wallach IX, the Sisterhood's home base.
The series also explores the home worlds of the Harkonnens and the Atreides.
Showrunner Alison Schapker told IGN: “Even 10,000 years before the films and before Paul Atreides, space travel is reliant upon spice, and it is considered a super valuable resource. I would say that Arrakis is present in our story, but from a distance. We're exploring other planets."
What was the Butlerian Jihad in Dune?
The Butlerian Jihad, or the Great Revolt, was the crusade against computers and thinking machines.
The result was the idea that man should not be replaced and all computers and thinking machines were destroyed.
It was also forbidden to create a machine "in the likeness of a human mind".
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Jodhi May, who stars as Empress Natalya Corrino, recently opened up to RadioTimes.com about the timeliness of the series, saying: "It's an endlessly fascinating subject that feels pretty zeitgeisty, I would say, especially with the advent of AI and the way that taps into this idea of techno-feudalism... I find all that stuff fascinating."
Dune: Prophecy airs on Sky and NOW weekly.
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Authors
Louise GriffinSci-Fi and Fantasy Editor
Louise Griffin is the Sci-Fi & Fantasy Editor for Radio Times, covering everything from Doctor Who, Star Wars and Marvel to House of the Dragon and Good Omens. She previously worked at Metro as a Senior Entertainment Reporter and has a degree in English Literature.
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